Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-06-25

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From: The Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at <http://www.telpress.it/ata>

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Deputy Premier says his bodyguard accidentally killed himself

[02] Council of Ministers approves three draft-decisions

[03] Police eliminate 1000 narcotic plants in Southern village

[04] Serbs raid Albanian villages in Macedonia

[05] Two South African citizens intend to illegally cross into Albania

[06] Millions of dollars from planes flying over Albania

[07] Humanitarian supplies continue to be sent to Tropoje

[08] Gjinushi: ethnic cleansing hinders solution through negotiations

[09] Albania, Germany to cooperate in preparaing officers

[10] Montenegrin People's Party asks defence of airports from Yugoslav army

[11] Kandic: Kosova is not part of Serbia

[12] Nenad Çanak: War in Kosova - the fourth of Milosevic

[13] Festival of Crete to be held in Tirana on June 26-28

[14] Catholic university to open in Durres soon

[15] International community to impose end of violence in Kosova

[16] Serb armed civilians injure two Albanians

[17] Army vehicles transport aid to Tropoja

[18] DBSH opposed cooperation with political parties in second round

[19] Local currency continue to be stable

[20] U.S. assistance for Albanian judiciary

[21] Work for rehabilitation of ethnographic museum in Gjirokaster continues

[22] Number of foreign workers in Albania increased

[23] Ioannina businessmen interested in investing in Albania

[24] European parliamentarians to visit Tirane from June 29-30

[25] Subject of Forum against corruption discussed

[26] CEC: Final outcome after considering claims of political parties

[27] Albania defence minister to visit Greece

[01] Deputy Premier says his bodyguard accidentally killed himself

"Robert Hoxha was one of the escort's bright boys who has stood by my side with devotion and dignity," Fino says in his statement.

"He killed himself as he was careless with his weapon, which led to a tragedy no reporter or any other has the moral right to speculate about," says Fino.

"My political activity has been open and transparent, it has been and remains a modest contribution to reconciliation and progress of my nation," he says.

According to the official version, citizen Robert Hoxha, age 25, noncommissioned officer of the Guard of the Republic, Statemen's Escort Department, escort member of deputy Prime Minister Bashkim Fino, killed himself accidentally on Tuesday at around 11.15 a.m. while playing with his weapon.

The spokesman of the Public Order Ministry told ATA that the investigating group, composed of experts in criminology of the Police Department, specialists of the General prosecutor's office and the Tirana Prosecutor office, as well as forensic experts officially concluded after the scientific expertise that citizen Robert Hoxha has accidentally killed himself. /s.s/mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] Council of Ministers approves three draft-decisions

The draft-decision "On the increase of the health care for the emigration and emigrants," will institutionalize the treatment of problems of the Albanian emigrants.

The draft-decision "On the facilitation of unemployment through the implementation of the public works program" aims at easing the poverty, reducing the cost of programs of social assistance, increasing of possibilities for the economic activities and development of local administration units.

The Council of Ministers also approved the draft-decision "on the financial control of juridical persons who have taken loans from the public." This control will be carried out by the company Coopers & Lybrand, which will audit 12 loan-taking companies which are under investigation and 5 commercial associations which are in the administration process "Vefa Holding," "Silva," "Kamberi," "Cenaj and Co" and "M. Leka." /s.sh/mima/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Police eliminate 1000 narcotic plants in Southern village

According to the spokesman, the criminal police of Fier, in cooperation with the order forces, in a joint action which lasted three hours, some 1000 narcotic plants (cannabis sativa) were eliminated in Levan village of Fier.

The narcotic plants were found in the gardens of three inhabitants of this village, who are being searched by the police. /s.s/mima/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] Serbs raid Albanian villages in Macedonia

A group of Serbian pre-military forces looted the peasants of Maline e Vogel village. The Serbian army and police have raided and maltreated almost every day the villages of Breze, Tanishec, Maline e Madhe and Maline e Vogel, which are situated along the border with Kosova, accusing them "of violating the Yugoslav border." /p.ta/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] Two South African citizens intend to illegally cross into Albania

Brune Stefan Colorad, 32 and Alete Jeane, 31, from South Africa, were stopped in the Airport of Rinas to enter Albania on Wednesday evening, the spokesman of the Police Department of Tirana Prefecture reported to ATA.

The above persons pretended and wanted to cross into Albania as tourists, but their documents "did not fulfil the necessary legal conditions for this act," explained the spokesman.

Their documents are being investigated and the decision is expected to be taken for their return.

Three citizens from Maroque, one from Turkey and another from Pakistan were turned back in Rinas within this month because they had irregular documents. /a.ke/mima/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] Millions of dollars from planes flying over Albania

TIRANA, June 25 (ATA)-By D. Koca, The National Air Traffic Agency in Albania, ANTA, demands a greater percentage from tax-collections from the flights flying over the Territory of the Republic of Albania.

Expenditures on the identification of the flights flying over Albania, occupy the largest part of the total expenditure, which for the time being the enterërise is forced to cover itself, as the incomes on air flights, according to the law, go to the budget in the form of taxes. /lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Humanitarian supplies continue to be sent to Tropoje

According to the spokesman of this Ministry, the supplies in these zones have been sent by: the Organization "Mercy International (USA) some 10.560 canned meat; "World Food Programme" 500 tonnes of food worth 142.000 USD, the Organization "Medicines du Monde" 828.5 kg of medicaments and medial supplies worth 4.332 French francs in Tropoje and Kukes, the French embassy 19 tonnes of food supplies, Caritas Albania 1800 packages of food supplies and clothes, as well as many other humanitarian organizations.

Other humanitarian supplies have been sent to Tropoje to assist the Kosova refugees, accommodated in the Northern part of Albania. /mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Gjinushi: ethnic cleansing hinders solution through negotiations

Gjinushi, referring to the situation in Kosova, expressed the belief that combination of all forms of pressure, also including military intervention, is the sole way to face Milosevic's policy.

He said that only in this way he will be forced to accept a viable, real and long-term solution to the Kosova issue.

"Any delay would but radicalize the situation and make increasingly difficult the solution of this issue through peaceful means and would also risk the conflict's spill over, of catastrophic consequences for the whole region," said Gjinushi, stressing that the International Community still bears Bosnia's experience in its mind. /s.sh/pas/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Albania, Germany to cooperate in preparaing officers

Minister Hajdaraga focused on the cooperation with the member countries of NATO, in particular with Germany, mainly in the field of military education and preparation of officers.

Talking about the latest developments in Kosova, Hajdaraga stressed the stand of the Albanian government for a peaceful and diplomatic solution of the problem, but without excluding the military pressure of NATO on the Yugoslav President Milosevic.

After bringing the greetings of the German Minister of Defence, Volker Ruche for his Albanian counterpart, general-mayor Albert considered very successful the current cooperation in the field of training officers. He stressed that this cooperation will be fruitful even in the future "because even the mentality on the army is the same both in Albania and Germany."

With regard to the situation in Kosova, Albert pointed out that "We favour a peaceful solution, but Milosevic has showed that he knows only the language of force, as in the case of Bosnia." /s.s/pas/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] Montenegrin People's Party asks defence of airports from Yugoslav army

"The civil use of airports should be safeguarded by the police forces and the Security Council, the Contact Group and the NATO Secretary General must be officially informed about this," said Kilobarda. /mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] Kandic: Kosova is not part of Serbia

"Serbian authorities try to describe their campaign in Kosova as a fight against 'terrorists' but this is not true," says Kandic.

Kandic considers that the solution of the conflict in Kosova requires a greater international engagement and that the reaction of the West so far has not been concrete.

"It seems the international community is not clear how to halt the Serbian military and police violence in Kosova, how to defend the civilian police and enable the return of the people displaced from their homes. This conflict cannot be resolved by the Contact Group, because its decisions are much equivocal," says Kandic.

She says that the solution of the crisis in Kosova requires a greater engagement on the part of the U.S.. "As the international community does not support Kosova's independence, the West should make clear to president Milosevic that he should start serious talks with Albanians, and put forward several conditions to him," said Kandic.

She said the first condition is that Milosevic is made clear that Kosova is not part of Serbia, but of Yugoslavia.

Kandic says that Serbian authorities should be forced to allow free movement of foreign observers throughout Kosova and pull back the Serbian troops from there.

She says that "for a successful solution of the crisis in Kosova it is very important that KLA accept Ibrahim Rugova as a political leader and cooperate with him to draft a strategy for dialogue". /p.ta/pas/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] Nenad Çanak: War in Kosova - the fourth of Milosevic

Canak said that "This is the fourth war organised by Milosevic's regime. We are three times witnesses to Milosevic's frauds and want no more killed children. We want our children leave Kosova and then talk," Çanak said in an interview in which he also aired the opinions of all those protesting against their sons' going into the army in Kosova.

Also, Dejan Anastasijevic, who is considered among the few Serbian reporters who have written in an objective way about the crisis in Kosova, holds that people see no reason to die for the sake of Milosevic's policy.

"It is not because the Serbs think it is not worth fighting for Kosova, but they think that Milosevic is not the person for whom we should give up our lives."

" Since the beginning of his career, Milosevic has been a looser in all wars in Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, therefore people see no reason to die for Milosevic to gain political credit," he said. /p.ta/pas/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] Festival of Crete to be held in Tirana on June 26-28

An announcement of the Greek embassy in Tirana reported that this festival includes an exhibition of produces and services in Crete, to be opened in the grounds of this hotel and will be accompanied during the three days with the dishes of Crete, with Greek music and songs, folk music from Crete, as well as a modest spectacle of a dress-designer from Crete. /a.ke/pas/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] Catholic university to open in Durres soon

In a letter on June 18, 1988, the pope appreciates the request of the Durres intellectuals to open a Catholic university in this city and stresses the fact that Durres has had its university since in 1346.

The letter of the Durres intellectuals, Llambi Kallco, spokesman of the Durres city-hall, told ATA, was addressed to Apostolic Nuncio in Albania Giovani Bulaitis, at a time when the Tirana and Durres Arch-bishop, Monseigneur Rrok Mirdita, himself, had asked the Pope to open this institution in Shkoder or Durres.

The Pope has preferred that the university opens in Durres, also for the ancient educational traditions of this city and Christianity preached in this city since the 1st century of our era by Apostle Pavel.

The university will have a laic character and will hold classes in economy, medicine, engineering and other subjects. Most of the teachers will be native while for specific subjects they will come form Italy and France.

The Albanian government is now expected to approve the opening of this university. President Rexhep Meidani has repeated the request for the opening of a catholic university in Albania several times. /s.s/pas/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[15] International community to impose end of violence in Kosova

"The international community should send a clear message to Milosevic saying you are using heavy armaments against the civil population in Kosova and if you are failing to stop it then the international community would impose it through force," Ashdown said.

The Albanian minister Milo said that it was important that the Contact Group should be in unison and that was the best way to speed up a solution to the issue.

Milo expressed the readiness of the Albanian government to put all its infrastructures in NATO's disposal to help find a solution to the Kosova issue. s.s/pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[16] Serb armed civilians injure two Albanians

Blaze was seen from the village but there was no report on the situation there.

Sources from the scene said that members of Serb gangs came to help the attackers expell Albanians from Frasher village and burn down their houses.

Serbs of Priluzhe village in the commune of Vushtri, have shot with automatic rifles, machine-guns and snipers at the direction of the Albanian villages of Glavotin, Bivolak and other villages at the bottom of Qyqavica mountain, at the border of Drenica.

The Albanian resistance forces, who are defending their houses and land, have managed to stop armed Serbs from infiltrating in attacked areas. pta/pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[17] Army vehicles transport aid to Tropoja

A spokesman of the Defence Ministry said that some 45 vehicles had transported 149 tons of goods travelling around 29,700 km and carrying out 49,400 ton/km volume of work. They have also transported over 2,000 people from the Tropoja border point to the Bajram Curri city.

These vehicles are put at the disposal of Albanian Caritas and the Tirana town hall. Three to four vehicles are put daily at the disposal of the Tropoja town hall to help it transport foodstuff and different goods.

Other 10 tons of goods, mostly medical equipment coming from Tirana have been transported recently. s.s/pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[18] DBSH opposed cooperation with political parties in second round

"We have no open or secret agreement either with the Alliance for the State or the Unity for Democracy for the second round of local by- elections. Our main principle on these by-elections has to do with the fact that every Albanian citizen should vote for the person first," Neritan Alibali, member of the Republican party leadership said to ATA on Thursday.

Alibali rejected the statement of the Democratic leader in a news conference two days ago on a possible contact with the DBSH in the interest of both sides.

"So far the Unity for Democracy has not made any efforts to cooperate with the Albanian right-wing forces," Alibali said.

The DBSH will compete in the second round of local by-elections in the Shijak municipality with the political grouping Unity for Democracy, which comprises the Christian Democratic party, Democratic party, Social Democrat Unity party, Legality party and the Albanian Democrat Unity party.

The Right-wing includes the Republican party, Right-wing Democratic party, Movement for Democracy party, Conservative party and the National Front party. s.s/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[19] Local currency continue to be stable

Currency Average exchange rates

bought sold US$1.00 153.80 154.00 German Marks 85.70 85.90 Italian lire(1000) 87.00 87.20 Greek Drachmas(100) 50.00 51.00

/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[20] U.S. assistance for Albanian judiciary

To this end, within July, the U.S. Department of Justice will send three experts to assist the Albanian Ministry of Justice, the spokesman of this ministry said.

Minister Kondi asked the U.S. delegation to accelerate procedures for the signing of the Agreement between the U.S. Department of Justice and the Albanian Ministry of Justice, as has been discussed in Washington with the number one of the U.S.Justice, Janet Reno.

Representatives of the U.S. Department of Justice voiced their readiness to sign as soon as possible this agreement and to materialise the assistance for the Albanian judiciary. /s.s./das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[21] Work for rehabilitation of ethnographic museum in Gjirokaster continues

As the director of museums of Gjirokaster Teuta Kallajxhi told ATA, work has started for the reconstruction of the front part of the building of the museum.

In December 1997, an amount of TNT placed in the surrounding wall of the building damaged the front part of it, ruined its doors and windows and the whole objects displayed in the museum of ethnography. /a.ke/das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[22] Number of foreign workers in Albania increased

A spokesman of the ministry said that 850 are Europeans, 220 Asians and 2 Latin Americans.

Some 1,037 foreign citizens have been issued work permits in 1997, 333 of whom were employees, 613 entrepreneurs and 90 self-employed.

There are cases when foreign citizens have operated in Albania this year without work permit.

Specialists and representatives of foreign organisations operating in Albania to carry out projects in economic and social fields are not included in this group. /ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[23] Ioannina businessmen interested in investing in Albania

Representatives of the Ioannina prefecture, trade and economic attaches from Macedonia, Cyprus, Ukraine at the presence of representatives of the Albanian Embassy in Athens and businessmen of the Ioannina area discussed and presented views to stimulate trade cooperation between the Balkan countries.

Sources of the Albanian embassy in Athens said that the Ioannina Prefecture had a special interest in cooperating in this field with Albania. The same source said that geographical nearness and reestablishment of security are factors, which favour the cooperation.

The Ioannina businessmen asked for facilities to increase cooperation such as customs facilities to help introduce in Albania machineries and raw materials and urged fight against contraband.

Some of the priorities for foreign investments in Albania have to do with the policy on privatisation strategy of big state-owned properties in which physical and juridical foreign individuals will be able to participate in privatisation of strategic sectors.

The law on foreign investors creates them possibilities to transfer profits to their countries without paying any tax. The Greek side is also interested in building factories for the production of foodstuff and construction materials. /ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[24] European parliamentarians to visit Tirane from June 29-30

This is the second joint visit of European parliaments to Albania following the earlier visit in January.

The OSCE Presence in Albania is coordinating the intensive 24-hour visit. The delegation will meet with the Albanian Government, political leaders and members of the Parliament, including members of the Parliamentary Constitutional Commission.

The delegation consists of parliamentarians from five nations: the European Parliament Vice President, Mr Renzo Imbeni (Italy; and Ms Doris Pack (Germany) Chairman of the European Parliament Commission for Relations with Southeast Europe, Council of Europe Rapporteurs, Mr Rene Van der Linden (Netherlands) and Jordi Sole Tura (Spain); OSCE Parliamentary Assembly General Committee Rapporteur, Ms Tana de Zulueta (Italy) and Mr Tekin Enerem (Turkey,) member of the European Parliament and head of Turkish delegation.

The parliamentarians represent the Christian Democratic, Socialist and other parties of the respective countries.

This delegation's mission is to review the follow-up on the Tri- Parliamentary Declaration in January and to demonstrate the continuous commitment of the Parliaments to supporting democratic developments in Albania.

The delegation will hold a press conference on June 30 on June 30. /s.sh./das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[25] Subject of Forum against corruption discussed

The department of information and media of the Council of Ministers reports that the meeting discussed the subject of the Forum against corruption and the problems for the financial and organizational organization, the economic policies and regulatory reforms, the reform in the civil service, the legal and judicial reform.

The Commission adopted in the meeting the final agenda of the Forum for the drafting of the institutional schemes in the fight against corruption, to be held on June 30 in the Palace of Congresses. The main report on the commitment of the Albanian government in the fight against corruption will be held in the Forum meeting by Albanian Premier Fatos Nano.

The meeting of the Forum, to be presided over by Mr Islami, will be also addressed by experts of the World Bank and of many government and non- government international organizations. /s.sh./das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[26] CEC: Final outcome after considering claims of political parties

Head of the CEC commission, Daver Çano said to ATA that "the CEC will reveal the final outcome of by-elections after considering claims and contests of the political parties which have their candidates, of the CEC and the regional commissions."

The by-elections were held in seven town halls and nine communes and 9 communes of the constituencies where the local officials abandoned or quitted the post during the unrest last year.

The official reports drafted by the local commissions said that the political grouping Alliance for the State has won in four town halls and six communes with a total of 53 percent of votes.

The Unity for Democracy grouping has won in one town hall and two communes with a total of 35 per cent of votes, while the Albanian United Right-wing has won seven percent of the votes.

Vora and Shijak town halls will hold a second ballot on June 28.

The Alliance for the State will contest the Unity for Democracy in second ballot in Vora while the United right-wing will face Unity for Democracy.

The political grouping "Unity for Democracy" comprises the Democratic party, Social Democrat Union party, Legality Movement party, Christian Democratic party and Democratic Union party.

The United Right-wing includes the Republican party, Right-wing Democratic party, Movement for Democracy party, Conservative party and the National Front party.

The Alliance for the state comprises the Socialist party, Democratic Alliance party, Social Democratic party, Agrarian party, and the Human Rights Union party as well as National Unity party. s.s/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[27] Albania defence minister to visit Greece

A spokesman of the Defence Ministry reported on Thursday that the delegation included General Director of Economic, deputy chief of General staff of the Albanian army and other senior officials.

The Albanian delegation was expected to hold talks with the Greek counterpart which would focus on existing bilateral relations and their promotion in all fields both bilaterally and in the frame work of Partnership for Peace, where both countries are active members. s.sh/das/ak/

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